This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications and, more particularly, to a system and method for analyzing communication paths in a telecommunications network.
A telecommunications network generally includes several telecommunication locations coupled together by transmission lines that form circuits. Telecommunications providers devote considerable time and resources to establishing communication paths between remote locations using one or more circuits. To establish a communication path between two locations that are not directly coupled together by a single circuit, a telecommunications provider must identify a series of circuits that can communicate information between the two locations. By examining text-based information describing a telecommunications network, an individual, starting at one of the two locations, must manually follow a circuit from location to location until the individual either encounters the second of the two locations or an intermediate location without a circuit leading to a new location. If the individual encounters the second of the two locations, then the individual has traced a communication path between the two locations. If, however, the individual encounters an intermediate location without a circuit leading to a new location, the individual must start over by following an alternative circuit path from either the first location or a prior intermediate location. Unfortunately, this trial-and-error process consumes enormous time and resources, and even when successful at identifying a communication path, the process does not necessarily yield the most desirable path for communicating information between two locations. As telecommunications networks continue to grow in size and complexity, existing systems and methods for analyzing communication paths have become increasingly unsatisfactory.
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for analyzing communication paths in a telecommunications network is provided that substantially eliminates or reduces disadvantages or problems associated with previously developed systems and methods.
In one embodiment, a system for analyzing communication paths in a telecommunications network includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores network data relating to a plurality of circuits in a telecommunications network. The processor, coupled to the memory, receives target circuit information specifying two telecommunication locations and a rate code. The processor identifies one or more circuits associated with a defined boundary area and identifies one or more communication paths between the specified telecommunication locations. Each communication path includes one or more of the identified circuits that communicate information according to the rate code.
In another embodiment, a program embodied in a computer-readable medium analyzes communication paths in a telecommunications network. The program includes a display component and a processing component. The display component generates a graphic representation of nodes and connectors. Each node represents a telecommunication location, and each connector, coupled between two of the nodes, represents one or more circuits coupled between telecommunication locations. The processing component receives target circuit information specifying two telecommunication locations and a rate code. The processing component identifies one or more communication paths between the specified telecommunication locations. Each communication path includes one or more circuits that communicate information according to the rate code.
The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. Unlike previous techniques, the present invention provides a graphics window component that displays nodes and connectors that represent locations and circuits in a telecommunications network. As a result, a user can more easily recognize communication paths between two locations. In addition, a path analysis component receives target circuit information specifying two locations and a rate code and, in response, identifies one or more communication paths that communicate information between the specified locations according to a bandwidth associated with the rate code. In response to a user selecting one of the identified communication paths, a provisioning component automatically assigns available circuits to the selected communication path. Together, the path analysis and provisioning components reduce the time and resources that a telecommunications provider must devote to establishing a communication path between two locations. In addition, a boundary area component limits the analysis of communication paths to locations and circuits associated with a defined boundary area. The boundary area component improves the efficiency of the present invention by limiting the path analysis to the most relevant network data relating to the network. The present invention enables a telecommunications provider to provide faster service to customers at lower cost. For these and other readily apparent reasons, the present invention represents a significant advance over prior art systems and methods.